New Years week 2016 #3 fun adventures with family

Wednesday, Jan 6 was Epiphany so we went to an evening church service at 

Divine Shepherd LCMS in Black Hawk.  

While there, before the service,  we had a friend snap a couple pictures of our family.  

We left our Advent wreath up and lit it daily as we did our devotions. 

Yummy cookies for a special treat
 and our little helper was more then eager to pass them around.

 Time for another game.  This was a treasure hunt with everyone picking a folded paper with a clue on it.  All the wrapped gifts would look alike, same size and shape.  Once all 8 had their gifts the game name changed to  "witch one of these is not like the other".     Only one would be different and that person would also be the recipient of a $10 Target card.     All were tin containers, 7 were gum but one was M&M's.                                                                                                                                                    


It was a fun game with gifts hidden anywhere from a window sill to ice container in fridge.    I actually think the 7 year old got the hardest clue and had to ask others for assistance.  

I guess their family will have a good supply of gum with each metal box containing 10 pkg or 50 sticks gum!

So the 18 year old was very excited to have the different gift and win the gift card. I wish I had had my camera ready to capture the actual excitement instead of this posed picture.

A little coloring going on and yes I was coloring too.   These hard adult color books
could take forever to color!

One afternoon we made our way down town to Main Street Square.  Here we are in the "very amazingly fun"  toy store.   

This is one of 3 in the world of this large "PERPLEXUS".  How fun!

It was a lot colder out then we had first anticipated so we only walked a few blocks, stopping at a few presidents for pictures.  We will just have to do this on a warmer day.  Notice a lot of the bronze president sculptures have hats, gloves or scarves on.  These are placed there by local people for homeless or less fortunate people to help themselves to at this cold time of year. 

Notice how exceptional big this painting on side of building is!

We walked by the historical Fire House Brewing Company on Main Street, where our daughter and son-in-law enjoyed a noon date. They said the food was great and a unique atmosphere too. 

Another of the many bronze president sculptures lining every intersection corner in Rapid City.

OK GANG,  lets go home
and have some hot chocolate. 

These are some very special animal cups that we have had for many years.  Our Grandchildren always look forward to using them when they visit.  Our 13 year old made me laugh when she insisted we take pictures of them because you know they just wont last forever and that thought almost made her sad.  

While there mom and dad were enjoying noon date time, we were enjoying the grandchildren.  We had a delicious meal of Lasagna and garlic bread. Then we not only created the softest hands ever by doing Mary Kay "SATIN HANDS" but us girls had a facial too.

Play time and relaxation time. 
 These pictures speak for themselves.   

Now this little girl loves to play doll especially when it is some of Nana's special 60 yr old doll and my hand-made ceramic doll of 19 years.  

 

 She also enjoyed my old high chair from when I was about her age. 
  It is getting a little wobbly but has stood the test of time.  I know I spent many hours of my childhood playing with this highchair, my dolls, cardboard stove, cupboard and fridge that my mother made for me.  Oh yes, a pink doll bed my mother made for me from peach crates and a toy wood fold up iron board.   

I can almost smell and taste this delicious home made bread. 

 

On Thursday we had the great pleasure and treat of eating my daughters home made bread.  It went great with the roast beef, carrots and potatoes.

I have never been a good bread baker but she wrote down the recipe and I will need to try it soon.  I will guarantee you it will not be as good as her or my younger daughter's bread or rolls. 

We had lots of laughs and fun playing this "fold-up paper game"  with 4 folds and each person draws a different part of a person or animal without seeing what others have drawn.  Our 10 yr old grandson came up with a unique name for each drawing.  This one was named  "OGERA"  Another was named "3 ARMED SEPTAFLY" 

We also played the "What in the heck is it ?" game where I passed around 15 items and each had to guess what it was.  This made for some very fun conversation, comments and laughter. 
 Who would think to "SMELL" the item 
  to help with identification?  

OK,  time for the final game where everyone gets to open the pkg #1 or pkg #2 .
Which ever was not chosen the first night they got to open tonight.  Our daughter got a bag of Hawaii Chocolate macadamia coffee beans.   

OH WOW!  MY FAVORITE!  TEA,
 lots and lots and lots of TEA!

Cashews and they are all mine!  YUM!

I can't believe it!  My very own big container of OVALTINE!   

We had a great time but to me and Papa, the week went way too fast.  We have lots of fun memories to treasure and lots and lots of pictures to look back at when we get way too lonesome.  Below you see the two youngest all ready to leave for home.  6 AM came fast but it would be a long 10 hour trip dodging snow on Eastern part of SD.    We give thanks for our loving family, both daughters and their lovely family's.  

Always has that smile!  but 6:30 AM?  

We are thankful that they had a safe trip home.  Their cat Rusty and dog Toby were both very happy to see them. 

We look forward to the next time we can spend time with our family. 

Still half asleep but I'm ready to go!

We also made it to a few stores like Target and Walmart, and went for a couple of walks.  5 of their family finally got to go to movie to see the new Star Wars.   We played pictionary game, made smoothies, pop corn, had spice tea and Irish Cream coffee and unusual beer.

 The children even had to do some home work and memory work as they are home schooled.  It was a busy week for all of us.   

New Years week 2016 #2 A day at Spearfish Canyon with family

We enjoyed a day at Spearfish Canyon after driving through Spearfish to take a peek at the college where both our daughter and her husband went to BHSU.  

It was a beautiful 40 degree day and the scenery was breath taking as usual. This canyon is one of my very favorite places to visit and snow cover makes it even more beautiful.  
I loved to show our grandchildren some of God's special creation and beauty.

This is Bridal Veil Falls.  
It looks much larger in winter when it is frozen.

Mom poses with her youngest daughter
 with Bridal Veil Falls in the background.

Community Caves Water Fall

Very beautiful snow on the tall spruce evergreens.

One of our favorite restaurant is in Spearfish Canyon.  The Latchstring Inn.  We were all very ready for a nice delicious noontime meal.

I love this picture of our oldest daughter and her husband.  It is hard to believe they have been married over 20 years.  

OH MY, I see a photo bomb!

What a beautiful peaceful setting for this log cabin Latchstring Inn restaurant.  A nice view of the canyon with dripping icicles framing the window.

Very tasty food and extra strong coffee with great flavor.  

Our 5 grandchildren ready to go
 walk off some of that food.  

Papa with the youngest.  Look at those smiles.

Here Papa,  let me help you down this
 slippery snow packed trail.

I don't know about these two,  slip sliding away! 

This is the beautiful Little Spearfish Falls.  It is so pretty with so much frozen ice and frost but still flowing.   There is one more water fall in this canyon but we did not make the mile hike to Roughlock Falls.  The road is closed in winter for snowmobiles so we just enjoyed a nice walk on the lower Latchstring trail. 

It looks cold but was a very pleasant 40 degrees with now wind. 

The little one blazing the trail.  

LOOKING UP!

So we determined 
we had a couple 
"TREE HUGERS". 





Plenty of trees to hug! 
 He looks so serious too! 

Our 18 yr old Granddaughter.
 ( I don't know why this picture got blurred.) 

Our 16 yr old grandson

Our 13 yr old Granddaughter

Our 10 year old Grandson.

And this is our 7 yr old granddaughter. 

I love the fun memories of this special day.
So glad we got a picture with our grandchildren.

Just had to get this cute picture of their
whole family by the falls. 

The five children.

Our beautiful daughter!

One last picture of the falls
 before we head up the trail back to our cars.

"Hey guys, wait for me!"

As I enjoy the beauty of Gods creation, I think of how majestic, how we take this beauty
 for-granted as if we deserve it. 
 This  is all a blessing from our Loving Almighty God as is our every breath. 

Psalm 89: 11            The Heavens are Yours, and Yours also the earth.
                       You founded the world and all that is in it,
                        You created the North and the South. . . . .